COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — St. Matthew’s House is a beacon of hope for those struggling with homelessness, financial issues, and even food insecurity in collier and lee counties.
As gas, rent, and grocery prices rise, more and more families are seeking help in the community.
On Thursday, St. Matthew's House will be holding its food distribution at Lely Elementary School where they’ll also be giving out all sorts of baby supplies, including hard-to-find baby formula.
"We were receiving so many calls, we were receiving so many, really cries for help," Lorna Mclain, Director of Food Assistance at St. Matthew's House explain why they added more baby formula to their distribution list.
After St. Matthew's reached out to their partners at Mid West Food Bank, Mclain said they agreed to donate a generous amount of baby formula, "So we said, Alright let's do this, let’s make a plan."
With that donation, St. Matthew's can distribute baby formula to about 100 families and they have enough baby food for 300 families.
Families who go to Thursday's distribution will get meat and produce along with other staple items. Mclain explains as grocery prices trend upwards, "We definitely have regular families that come to our distribution, but we've definitely had an increase in new families, more than ever, more than the pandemic actually," Mclain said.
With growing numbers of new families and the nationwide formula shortage, Mclain says they’re doing everything they can for families in the area.
"We’re expecting another donation of baby formula so we’re hoping we could increase from what we already have," said McClain.
If you can’t make the Thursday afternoon distribution, or they run out of a specific item, Mclain says to stay in touch with St. Matthew’s House and when they receive what you need, they’ll let you know.
For the distribution, Mclain says there is a summer school in session and they’re asking those who do come to start lining up at around 2 pm. If it’s your first time attending, they ask that you bring an ID for each household.
